Find a Penny, Pick It Up...

...and all day long you'll have good luck!
Don't believe it for a second.

Well, we left Tessie with her first babysitter this weekend. Every year we go to a Christmas concert with Keith and Wendy--this year it was the Vienna Boys Choir.

We figured it was about time to find a real babysitter,(Why do I keep typing "babysister?" That's NOT what I mean!) so Ry & I can go out every now and then. I asked one of the Young Women in our ward, and I was nervous about leaving her, but we were excited for an evening out.

Dad trying to convince Tessie to wear her hat.

Well, it was 1 1/2 hours before we were supposed to go, when Tess got her hands on my wallet and managed to swallow a penny. Choking ensued. She was turning red and I turned her over my arm and banged her on the back. She started crying, which at least meant that she was breathing, and then she started choking again. Then she threw up and kept crying. At that point I called 911.

They sent an ambulance out and by the time it got here, she was laughing, waving and all smiles. I think that she must have actually swallowed it. The EMT's said they could take her to the emergency room for an x-ray, but all the doctor would do is say, "Yep, there it is."

So, when I picked up the sitter, I had to tell her, "Tess is a good baby. One little thing, she swallowed a penny today." My sitter asked apprehensively, "Has it come out yet?" Nope.

Long story long, we went to the concert (with my cell phone on vibrate) and despite my anxiety, we actually had a good time. Tess survived the night, with no sign of the penny (to the great relief of my sitter).

We forgot to take a pic at the concert,
so we improvised this self-timed portrait at home.
I was EXHAUSTED!

I put Ryan on Penny Patrol today, because I had a spa day scheduled at Elizabeth Arden. (Ry gave me a gift certificate for Mother's Day. Not this past Mother's Day, but the one BEFORE that--when I was pregnant! It expires this month, so I had to use it!) It was GOOD--I needed that massage! Still no penny on Ry's watch. (Though he was a diligent searcher. I'll spare you the details).

In addition to pennies, Tess has become a connoisseur of aspargus spears.
Everything tastes good when it's stolen off Dad's plate.
(No, Ryan doesn't usually have pennies on his plate.)

She seems to be feeling fine, but she has had hiccups several times today. We just put her down for the night, so I guess no penny today. Maybe it will make its appearance tomorrow.

Miss Moneybags was in a literary mood today!